Is It True to Say That God Made You So That He Could Love You?

It depends on who "you" is. I could say it for everybody in one sense, but not everybody in the same sense.

There's an electing love that is true for the elect. And there is a general, broad love that is true for everybody—a John 3:16 kind of love.

But I suspect this question is not asking for that distinction. Rather, the question is probably, "Do I think this is a too man-centered way to say it?" That might be the question.

This is not a bad statement. It's not a false statement: "God made you in order that he could love you." And I'm just going to define love here so that we understand.

He made us, according to Isaiah 43:7, that he might glorify himself in us. He made us so that he would look great in making us and saving us. He made us for his glory. That's what it says.

Now the question is, "Is that love?" And it clearly is. That's what love is.

Love is being brought into being in a way that will grant you everlasting joy. And that joy is found in knowing and admiring and making much of the most beautiful person in the universe, namely, Jesus Christ, who is God.

So, yes, God made us in order that he might love us. But "love" there is not primarily his getting satisfaction from us, but rather giving us the privilege of getting satisfaction from him.

John Piper (@JohnPiper) is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books.

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